Norpatchoulenol, having the formula ##STR1## is a component of patchouli oil. It is present therein only in very small amounts, but is nevertheless the main olfactory vector of patchouli oil. Norpatchoulenol can be used for the preparation of perfumes and odoriferous compositions, whereby in many cases norpatchoulenol is better suited for this purpose than patchouli oil itself. It is therefore desirable to be able to obtain norpatchoulenol in a pure state, free from other ingredients, some of which are obnoxious, which occur in patchouli oil. The first synthesis of norpatchoulenol was described in "Recherches", (Roure Bertrand Dupont) 19 (1974) 69. This synthesis is, however, a relatively complicated one involving many steps. A further route to norpatchoulenol starts from patchouli alcohol which is contained in patchouli oil in much larger amounts (about 40%). Patchouli alcohol can be converted into norpatchoulenol by microbiological hydroxylation (DOS 2 739 449) followed by oxidative decarboxylation (DOS 2 529 603). This synthesis is, however, dependent, just the same as before, on patchouli oil produced from nature.